Gender Schema Theory
Children and Gender
During a child 's development, they are exposed to socialization and are taught by their parents and society how they should act; this alters their gender schema, often times causing the child to negatively reflect upon society 's gender roles. The gender schema theory suggests “gender identification emerged from his or her cognitive development and societal influences” (Bem 2). When children are in a cognitive development state (information processing), they are heavily influenced by those around them and more closely, their parents. They learn to think by association and knowledge acquired from those that are most often around them. This can lead to negative views on non-specific gender roles, allowing only for …show more content…
“Men should become more nurturing and share homemaking activities” as women “in the workplace” (Popenoe 5 and 6). He suggests that gender roles of parents are learned and can easily be translated into mothers and fathers doing both gender-specific roles. Popenoe also claims that while parenting should take on a more androgynous approach, traditional mother-father roles should not be forgotten. “Family organization based on (…) biological differences between men and women” (Popenoe 6). This is an appropriate way to combine newer and more traditional parenting styles so that children will be able to grow in an environment not solely based on the roles of any specific gender. There is sure to be opposition to this, with many suggesting that the nuclear family should be kept intact with all the initial principles that go along with it. However, when children are seeing the value in being one gender over another based on society’s idea of gender-specifics, then the nuclear family is the last thing that should be worried …show more content…
Sandra Ruth Lipsitz Bem. Nichole Bettis. Web. 16 Nov. 2010
Male/Female Roles: Opposing Viewpoints. San Diego: Greenhaven Press, Inc., 2000. Print.
Tenenbaum, Harriet, Darryl Hill, Nadia Joseph, and Erin Roche. “’It’s a boy because he’s painting a picture’: Age differences in children’s conventional and unconventional gender schemas.” British Journal of Psychology (2010): n. pag. Web. 16 Nov. 2010
Choi, Namok, Dale Fuqua, Jody Newman. “The Bem Sex-Role Inventory: Continuing Theoretical Problems.” Educational & Psychological Measurement (2008): n. pag. Web 25 Nov. 2010
Popenoe, David. “Parental Androgyny.” Society (1993): n. pag. Web 1 Dec. 2010
Signorella, Margaret, Irene Hanson Frieze. “Interrelations of Gender Schemas in Children and Adolescents: Attitudes, Preferences, and Self-Perceptions.” Social Behavior & Personality: An International Journal (2008): n. pag. Web 27 Nov. 2010
Witt, Susan D. “Parental influence on children’s socialization to gender roles.” Adolescence (1997) Web 25 Nov. 2010
Hsiao, Margaret. Bem’s Gender Schema Theory Summarized by Margaret Hsiao. Dr. Ski’s Perspective. 20 Nov. 2010. Web. 25 Nov.
During a child 's development, they are exposed to socialization and are taught by their parents and society how they should act; this alters their gender schema, often times causing the child to negatively reflect upon society 's gender roles. The gender schema theory suggests “gender identification emerged from his or her cognitive development and societal influences” (Bem 2). When children are in a cognitive development state (information processing), they are heavily influenced by those around them and more closely, their parents. They learn to think by association and knowledge acquired from those that are most often around them. This can lead to negative views on non-specific gender roles, allowing only for …show more content…
“Men should become more nurturing and share homemaking activities” as women “in the workplace” (Popenoe 5 and 6). He suggests that gender roles of parents are learned and can easily be translated into mothers and fathers doing both gender-specific roles. Popenoe also claims that while parenting should take on a more androgynous approach, traditional mother-father roles should not be forgotten. “Family organization based on (…) biological differences between men and women” (Popenoe 6). This is an appropriate way to combine newer and more traditional parenting styles so that children will be able to grow in an environment not solely based on the roles of any specific gender. There is sure to be opposition to this, with many suggesting that the nuclear family should be kept intact with all the initial principles that go along with it. However, when children are seeing the value in being one gender over another based on society’s idea of gender-specifics, then the nuclear family is the last thing that should be worried …show more content…
Sandra Ruth Lipsitz Bem. Nichole Bettis. Web. 16 Nov. 2010
Male/Female Roles: Opposing Viewpoints. San Diego: Greenhaven Press, Inc., 2000. Print.
Tenenbaum, Harriet, Darryl Hill, Nadia Joseph, and Erin Roche. “’It’s a boy because he’s painting a picture’: Age differences in children’s conventional and unconventional gender schemas.” British Journal of Psychology (2010): n. pag. Web. 16 Nov. 2010
Choi, Namok, Dale Fuqua, Jody Newman. “The Bem Sex-Role Inventory: Continuing Theoretical Problems.” Educational & Psychological Measurement (2008): n. pag. Web 25 Nov. 2010
Popenoe, David. “Parental Androgyny.” Society (1993): n. pag. Web 1 Dec. 2010
Signorella, Margaret, Irene Hanson Frieze. “Interrelations of Gender Schemas in Children and Adolescents: Attitudes, Preferences, and Self-Perceptions.” Social Behavior & Personality: An International Journal (2008): n. pag. Web 27 Nov. 2010
Witt, Susan D. “Parental influence on children’s socialization to gender roles.” Adolescence (1997) Web 25 Nov. 2010
Hsiao, Margaret. Bem’s Gender Schema Theory Summarized by Margaret Hsiao. Dr. Ski’s Perspective. 20 Nov. 2010. Web. 25 Nov.